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Vineyard guide · Surlingham
Visiting Winbirri Vineyards
Winbirri is the family vineyard at Surlingham, six miles east of Norwich, whose Bacchus took a Platinum Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2017. It opens only in summer. Book the long tour, or turn up at the weekend wine garden for a glass of that Bacchus and a platter.
Winbirri Vineyards at a glance
| Founded | 2007 |
|---|---|
| Known for | Bacchus, named Best Single Varietal White Wine in the World at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2017 |
| Awards | Decanter World Wine Awards 2017: Platinum Best in Show for Winbirri Bacchus; UK Wine of the Year Awards 2016: Best Wine Produced in the United Kingdom (Bacchus); East Anglian Wine of the Year Awards 2015: Best Wine Produced in East Anglia (Bacchus) |
| Grapes | Bacchus, Solaris and Pinot Noir among others |
| Open | Wine garden Saturdays and Sundays, 11am to 6pm, from May to the end of August |
| Booking | Tours are booked online and are non-refundable; the wine garden needs no booking for groups under 10 |
| Tours from | £32.50 |
| Food | Cheese and charcuterie platters (£22.50 per person, can be pre-ordered) and bar snacks in the wine garden; no picnics |
| Dogs | Welcome on a lead in the wine garden; not on tours, apart from guide dogs |
| By train | Norwich, then a taxi; the vineyard says it is easily reached by taxi from the city centre |
Checked on the vineyard’s own website in November 2026.
About Winbirri Vineyards
Stephen Dyer, a local farmer and fruit grower, founded Winbirri in 2007 and planted the first vines. His son Lee, who trained in viticulture at Plumpton, took over in 2010, and there were two more big plantings in 2010 and 2012. Six members of the family work across the business, and volunteers pick most of the grapes by hand. Pruning is done by hand too, and the winemaking aims to interfere as little as possible.
The turning point came in 2017. At that year’s Decanter World Wine Awards, Winbirri Bacchus won a Platinum Best in Show and the title of best single varietal white wine in the world, an unusual result for a small Norfolk vineyard. It had already been named the best wine made in the UK at the UK Wine of the Year Awards in 2016.
The wines
Bacchus is the obvious choice, and it is the reason most people have heard of Winbirri. There’s also a Solaris among the whites. The reds run to a Pinot Noir, a Signature and a Reserve, and the sparkling wines to a Vintage Reserve, a Rosé Brut and a Blanc de Blancs. If you are on the tour, the tasting covers a spread of up to five of them. Where to buy them.
Tours and tastings at Winbirri Vineyards
Winbirri is a summer place. The wine garden, a marquee bar in the countryside, opens at weekends from May to the end of August, and tours run only in the same months, so there’s nothing to visit between autumn and spring. The tour is long, close to three hours, and that is the reason to book it, since you get proper time with the people who make the wine. If you’d rather just sit with a glass, the wine garden needs no tour ticket and no booking unless you are ten or more. Groups that size should get in touch so places can be held. Parking is limited, which is another reason to come by taxi.
| Experience | Price | Length | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineyard Tour & Tasting Experience A guided tour of the vineyard and winery with a tasting of up to five wines across red, white, rosé and sparkling. Arrive 15 minutes early. If you want a platter lunch in the wine garden with an afternoon tour, come about an hour and a half beforehand. Tickets can’t be refunded or transferred. | £32.50 per person | About 2.5 to 3 hours | May to August or September, starting at 11am, 12pm or 3pm; the 2027 season opens in May |
Book these on the Winbirri Vineyards website.
Buy Winbirri Vineyards wines
None of our wine partners has these wines in stock this week. The vineyard sells them in its own shop, or see our pick of English wines to buy online.
Getting there
Surlingham is about six miles east of Norwich, and the vineyard is on Bramerton Road. Parking is limited, and the vineyard points visitors to a taxi from Norwich city centre, which is also where the nearest railway station is. Book the ride back in advance.
Make a day of it
Surlingham is a village on the River Yare at the edge of the Broads, so it’s an easy add-on to a day in Norwich. Flint Vineyard, at Earsham near Bungay, is the other Norfolk vineyard worth pairing it with.
See every vineyard you can visit in our Suffolk and Norfolk directory. Our other Suffolk and Norfolk vineyard guides: Flint, Giffords Hall, Wyken Vineyards.
Questions people ask
Do I need a tour ticket to visit the wine garden?
No. The wine garden is open to walk-ins at weekends in summer without a tour or a booking. Groups of 10 or more should contact the vineyard ahead so places can be held.
Can I bring my dog?
Dogs on a lead are welcome in the wine garden, but not on the tour, apart from guide dogs.
Can I bring a picnic?
No. The wine garden serves platters and snacks, so picnics are not allowed.